Sep. 01, 2025
Water-based pigment ink is a versatile and high-quality type of ink that is widely used in various art, design, and crafting applications. Unlike regular water-based inks, pigment ink contains solid, colored particles that are finely ground and suspended in a liquid base. This results in a more vibrant and long-lasting color output, making it a popular choice for artists and crafters alike.
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Water-based pigment ink is made up of colored particles that are finely ground and suspended in a liquid base. This results in a more vibrant and long-lasting color output compared to regular water-based inks. The solid nature of the pigments also allows for greater color intensity and saturation.
Water-based pigment ink is also known for its resistance to fading and smudging, making it ideal for use in archival and professional applications. Additionally, the liquid base of water-based pigment ink allows for smoother application, resulting in cleaner and more precise lines. This makes it a popular choice for artists and crafters who require high-quality and consistent color output.
Pigment ink pads are designed to hold the solid pigments found in water-based pigment ink, resulting in a longer drying time but also providing more vibrant colors with better resistance properties than regular water-based ink pads. This makes them ideal for projects that require durability and longevity.
Pigment ink pads are also known for their ability to maintain their color integrity over time, making them a great choice for archival projects or any work that will be on display for an extended period. Additionally, the thicker consistency of pigment ink allows for more precise stamping and embossing techniques, giving crafters greater control over their designs. While regular water-based ink pads may offer quicker drying times and a wider range of colors, they may not hold up as well over time or provide the same level of detail and durability as pigment ink pads.
Yes, water-based pigment ink can be permanent when properly heat-set or cured after application. Once heat-set or cured, the pigments become bonded to the surface material, making them resistant to fading or washing off.
Additionally, water-based pigment ink is known for its eco-friendly properties. Unlike solvent-based inks, water-based pigment inks contain fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs), making them a more sustainable option for environmentally conscious consumers. This makes them a popular choice for companies and individuals looking to reduce their carbon footprint while still achieving high-quality, long-lasting results.
Water based pigment ink offers a wide range of benefits that make it a popular choice for artists and crafters. The vibrant colors and high pigmentation of water based pigment ink allow for stunning, eye-catching results in any project. Whether you're stamping, painting, or printing, the colors will pop and make your work stand out.
The key advantage of water based pigment ink is its ability to produce vibrant, rich colors with high pigmentation. This means that your artwork or designs will have a bold and intense appearance, making them visually striking and attention-grabbing. Whether you're creating intricate patterns or bold statements, the colors will remain bold and vivid.
In addition to their bold and intense appearance, water-based pigment inks are also fade-resistant and long-lasting. This means that your artwork or designs will maintain their vibrant colors over time, without fading or losing their intensity. Whether displayed in a gallery, used for branding materials, or incorporated into everyday items, the colors will remain as vivid as the day they were created.
Another significant benefit of water based pigment ink is its fade-resistant properties. Unlike regular water-based inks or dye inks that can fade over time, pigment ink holds its color well and remains vibrant for longer periods. This makes it ideal for projects that require longevity and durability, ensuring that your work stays looking fresh and colorful.
In addition to its fade-resistant properties, water-based pigment ink also offers versatility in applications. This type of ink can be used on a wide variety of surfaces, including paper, fabric, wood, and more. Whether you're working on a scrapbooking project, creating custom textiles, or designing wooden signs, water-based pigment ink provides the flexibility and adaptability you need to bring your creative vision to life. Its ability to adhere to different materials makes it a go-to choice for artists and crafters looking for a reliable and multi-functional ink option.
Water based pigment ink is incredibly versatile in its applications, making it suitable for a wide range of creative projects. Whether you're working on textiles, paper crafting, or industrial packaging, this type of ink can be used effectively across various mediums with consistent results. Its versatility allows artists to explore different techniques and experiment with diverse materials.
Water based pigment ink is perfect for textile printing and fabric dyeing due to its vibrant colors and fade-resistant properties. It adheres well to different types of fabrics, ensuring long-lasting and high-quality results that won't easily wash out. Additionally, this type of ink is eco-friendly, as it does not contain harmful solvents or chemicals that can be damaging to the environment. Its water-based nature also makes it easy to clean up, reducing the environmental impact of the printing process. Furthermore, water based pigment ink is versatile and can be used for a wide range of textile printing techniques, including screen printing, block printing, and digital printing.
Water based pigment ink is also a preferred choice for paper and cardstock crafting due to its quick-drying nature, allowing artists and crafters to work efficiently without smudging or smearing their designs. Additionally, the water-based formula makes it easy to clean up any accidental spills or messes, ensuring a stress-free creative process. This ink is also versatile, suitable for use with various techniques such as blending, layering, and embossing, making it a go-to option for artists looking to experiment with different crafting methods.
In the industrial and commercial packaging industry, water based pigment ink is valued for its ability to create eye-catching designs on various packaging materials. Its fade-resistant nature makes it ideal for branding purposes while ensuring that the packaging maintains its visual appeal throughout its lifespan.
Water based pigment ink is a versatile medium for artists and designers, allowing for the creation of detailed and intricate designs. The high pigmentation of the ink ensures that fine lines and small details are vividly captured on various surfaces, from paper to fabric.
Blending and layering techniques are easily achieved with water based pigment ink, providing artists with the ability to mix colors seamlessly and create smooth transitions. This makes it an ideal choice for creating depth and dimension in artwork, whether it's through stamping, stenciling, or freehand drawing.
Water based pigment ink can also be used to achieve beautiful watercolor effects and washes. By diluting the ink with water, artists can create translucent layers of color that mimic the look of traditional watercolor paintings, adding a unique touch to their creations.
When it comes to ink absorption and drying time, water-based pigment ink tends to be absorbed more slowly into the paper or fabric, allowing for better blending and layering techniques. On the other hand, pigment print is known for its quick absorption and fast drying time, making it ideal for high-speed printing applications.
Water-based pigment ink also tends to produce more vibrant and saturated colors compared to pigment print. This is due to the slower absorption rate, allowing the ink to spread and blend more evenly on the surface. As a result, water-based pigment ink is often preferred for high-quality art prints and colorful graphics where color intensity and saturation are key factors.
The color intensity and saturation of water-based pigment ink are known for their vibrant hues and high pigmentation, resulting in vivid and long-lasting prints. Meanwhile, pigment print also offers rich colors but with a slightly different texture that may affect the overall appearance of the final product.
The durability and resistance properties of water-based pigment ink make it a top choice for archival prints that need to withstand the test of time. The high pigmentation and vibrant hues not only result in vivid prints but also contribute to the ink's ability to resist fading and discoloration. This makes water-based pigment ink an ideal option for art prints, photographs, and other projects that require long-lasting color intensity.
Water-based pigment ink is fade-resistant and long-lasting, making it perfect for applications where longevity is essential. On the other hand, pigment print is also durable but may not offer the same level of resistance to external factors such as light exposure or moisture.
Water-based pigment ink is known for its exceptional fade resistance and long-lasting properties, making it the ideal choice for projects that require longevity. This type of ink is perfect for applications such as archival printing, fine art reproduction, and document preservation where color intensity and durability are crucial. Additionally, water-based pigment ink offers excellent resistance to external factors such as light exposure and moisture, ensuring that the printed materials maintain their quality over time.
From textile printing to paper crafting, water-based pigment ink provides versatility in applications that allow for intricate designs and blending techniques. The possibilities are endless when it comes to unleashing your creativity with this innovative ink. Moreover, the fast-drying nature of water-based pigment ink makes it ideal for creating multiple layers and achieving rich, vibrant colors without smudging or bleeding. This means you can experiment with different techniques and effects without having to wait for extended drying times, allowing you to bring your ideas to life more quickly and efficiently.
With its fade-resistant and high-pigmentation properties, water-based pigment ink stands out as a top choice for artists and designers looking for long-lasting results. Embrace the benefits of this advanced technology to elevate your work to new heights. Not only does pigment ink offer exceptional color vibrancy, but it also provides superior lightfastness, ensuring that your creations will maintain their brilliance for years to come. Additionally, the water-based nature of pigment ink makes it environmentally friendly and easy to work with, giving you peace of mind while you unleash your creativity.
So many screen printing shops have a hard time working with water based inks.
It’s not that water based inks are difficult. It’s that most shops don’t know where to start, since they’ve used plastisol ink for so long and may have learned to print with it. Spending a little time to do some R&D on your screen printing inks can yield huge returns.
Plastisol ink is just polyvinyl chloride (PVC, the same stuff common pipes are made of) and liquid plastic.
It’s the most common ink you’ll see in any screen printing shop. Why? Because it’s cheap, readily available, durable, and generally easy to work with.
Leave it on your screens with no problem. Leave it on a shelf forever and use it years later. Make sure it’s cured correctly, and it can last a hundred washes.
Sounds great, right? It mostly is.
Why would screen printers want to invest time and energy into learning water based inks when plastisol is so easy, cheap, and permanent?
Because water based inks have some real advantages that make them appealing to customers and printers: they feel better, they’re better for the environment, and they unlock some powerful printing capabilities in your shop (plus they just look amazing).
This is a simple truth: a good water based print feels better than a plastisol print.
While you can make a soft plastisol print, a water based print can often be nearly as soft as the t-shirt itself.
This means customers that love soft prints will almost always want water based inks.
Compared to plastisol, some water based inks use fewer toxins and petroleum products.
While this isn’t always the case (and can be a common misconception), water based inks are generally considered better for the environment among industry experts.
The reasons include water based inks being made with fewer volatile and toxic chemicals, requiring less of a carbon footprint to produce, and producing less waste that goes to the drain compared to plastisol.
While plastisol tends to last for a hundred washes and then begin to fade, crinkle, and even chip off the garment (think of a really old t-shirt you might have) – water based inks can actually last much longer.
This is because water based inks can actually become part of the garment. Plastisol simply sits on top of the garment! Water based inks (since they’re water based) leave behind pigments.
These pigments can become part of the fabric itself and last as long as the garment lasts.
While you can achieve high detail prints with plastisol, water based inks can be made so thin that they’re able to be used on extremely high mesh counts.
This means shops like Night Owls Print and Printed Threads, which print high-detail water based art, can achieve photorealistic results and microscopic details.
For more information, please visit dtg ink.
If you’ve ever worn a t-shirt with a large plastisol print, you know that plastisol ink simply doesn’t “breathe”.
Most water based inks don’t feel like this. Water based inks typically able to allow air to pass through, since the pigments are embedded within the fibers of the garment.
While Pantone matching water based inks was a problem in the past, it’s now something that highly technical shops can do effortlessly.
There’s some apprehension about water based inks: won’t they be less vibrant than plastisol? The answer to that question is no. Water based inks do not sacrifice quality or color.
Everyone in the industry likes to fight over which screen printing ink is best.
It’s really like asking which pizza is best. (It’s Pequod’s, though. I may have to watch my back for a while.)
The truth is very simple.
The best water based ink fulfills two criteria:
If the ink comes from a supplier you trust and it works for you, then it’s good ink. Don’t worry about the other noise.
To find the inks you like, prioritize testing different inks. You can probably get samples from sales reps. Learn from the screen printing process and experiment with your techniques. Remain open to surprises and changes in your process – it’s worth the investment in time and energy.
Water based inks are literally any ink that has water as its key component.
That tends to throw people off!
Traditional water based and discharge inks don’t sit on top of the shirt like plastisol does. Instead, the actual fibers of the shirt are altered. This makes for a long-lasting print that’s as soft as the shirt is. Not all water based inks work this way, though…acrylic inks are a notable exception.
So here’s a breakdown of the different water based inks.
With a runny, almost liquid consistency, water based ink alters the garment’s fibers. It has a tremendously soft hand feel. Because of the high water content of the ink, it must stay wet during printing.
A fluid, but slightly more viscous, consistency than traditional water based ink. Discharge inks are a powerful tool. They work by using an activator to bleach out the existing colors on the shirt. This means you can reliably print vibrant colors even on dark garments by using discharge inks as an underbase layer.
With acrylic particles added, this type of water based ink has a thicker, plastisol-like consistency. It does not actually alter the fibers of the garment. Acrylic inks come from the consumer need for a plastisol-like water based ink. It doesn’t need quite as careful management on the screen as other water based inks.
Acrylic inks are becoming more popular thanks to the growth of digital hybrid printing (also known as “the giant new machines that cost as much as a small house”). Lots of digital printing machines print on top of a tradition screen printed underbase – and most require some type of acrylic ink.
Plastisol is incredibly easy to use. It won’t dry up sitting on a screen and will never puddle. So why should you switch to water based ink?
This is simply the most common issue with water based inks, particularly with top-coat water based inks like acrylic ink.
In the fine art world, the simplest solution is to add a retarder: glycerine would be added to ink to keep it from drying.
There are three solutions for slowing down the drying process with your water based inks:
Check with your ink manufacturer to see what kind of retarder they suggest.
A water based ink retarder slows the drying time and increases the “open time”. Some manufacturers offer multiple additives that alter how the ink behaves. In my experience, using the recommended retarder combined with a lubricant is the best way to keep ink flowing and slow the drying process in the screen.
I bet you didn’t think you’d need a reptile fogger.
Here’s a brilliant hack to keep your water based inks from drying up in the screen:
Use a reptile fogger to keep your ink wet!
These cost about $50 when they’re new, and you get a 1 liter system that sprays a cool mist. It’s attached to a hose, so you can move the hose and clip it wherever you’d like to keep the fog directed at your screen.
Here’s an example:
Be sure to use distilled water in your fogger to keep contaminants out!
All jokes aside, throughout the years I’ve learned that coating your screens with the ink manufacturer’s recommended lubricant is critical.
Before any water based ink goes on your screen, apply lubricant with a clean cloth and rub it liberally into the open areas of your image. Use a little water to help spread the lubricant completely through the mesh, then wipe it clean.
By penetrating the entire mesh with lubricant, you slow down drying and make printing much smoother.
This is the other big problem shops run into when they start printing with water based ink: their screens start breaking down. Water is the universal solvent, after all.
Emulsion formulation is key to keeping your screens from breaking down. Emulsions have different solid content levels, different levels of durability when exposed to different inks, different exposure properties and so on. So how do you choose?
Virtually every supplier for garment decorators has a good emulsion that you can use. You may have to alter your emulsions to get the toughness you’ll need.
When in doubt, go with Diazo for the best durability when screen printing with water based ink. Ideally, you mix powder Diazo blended with water into the emulsion. This can create a powerful emulsion that is more durable than standard photopolymer emulsions that are ready for use out of the bucket.
Proper exposure leads to optimum cross-linking. Cross-linking is when the semi-solids in your emulsion become a solid through reaction with UV light. Take the time and invest in getting exposure 100% right.
Always post expose.
Here, I’m going to say it louder: ALWAYS POST EXPOSE!
This is a super simple step that so many shops overlook or think isn’t necessary.
After you’ve exposed your screen and it’s dried off, take your screen and expose it to more light. Turn off your exposure unit’s vacuum function and expose the screen ink-side down (opposite of how you normally expose screens). You can even just expose it to sunlight for a minute or so.
The point is to further harden the ink-side of the screen. This is a very easy way to improve the durability of your screens.
Water based inks are an opportunity to offer your customers the longest-lasting and softest custom shirt possible. It’s a screen printing technique that adds value and impresses clients.
Too many screen printing businesses are afraid to experiment with new techniques – but water based inks are a fantastic opportunity to do something new.
Now that you know where to start, and are armed with some practical tips, go find out how you can utilize water based inks in your shop.
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